Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerThe Red Bulls' Tony Tchani battles Dwayne De Rosario of Toronto FC last season. Today, the two were traded for each other.

Red Bulls coach Hans Backe insisted throughout the preseason that the team had enough players who could score goals and was not worried as the 2011 season began without leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel, who was not re-signed.

But after watching his team struggle to score just one goal in the first two games, Backe realized a move had to be made for an established goal scorer.

The Red Bulls today acquired All-Star midfielder Dwayne De Rosario from Toronto FC in exchange for midfielder Tony Tchani, midfielder/defender Danleigh Borman and their 2012 natural first-round pick in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

According to someone familiar with the trade who is not authorized to speak for the team, Toronto will pick up a significant portion of De Rosario’s $443,750 salary.

“Dwayne has been one of the league’s best players over the past several years, and we are thrilled that he is a Red Bull,” Red Bulls general manager and sporting director Erik Soler said. “He is one of the most dangerous players MLS has seen in the attacking third and he is a true leader both on and off the field.

“We had to trade Tony and Danleigh, two very talented, young players who both need more playing time with a first team in MLS to develop their potential. At the end, we think this is a massive step in our quest toward the MLS Cup title.”

De Rosario, 32, is expected to be in uniform tonight when the Red Bulls host the Houston Dynamo at Red Bull Arena.

De Rosario has captured four MLS Cups. He began his 11-year career with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2001, winning a title that year and again in 2003. The Quakes relocated to Houston in 2006 and the Dynamo won the championship in 2006 and in 2007. The 5-foot-11, 178-pound De Rosario has 78 goals and 52 assists in his career, including a career-high 15 goals last season.

He has also scored 15 goals in 55 games for Canada and was a member of the team that won the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

De Rosario was named MVP of the 2001 and 2007 MLS Cups, was the All-Star Game MVP in 2006 and scored the league’s Goal of the Year in 2004 and 2005.

Tchani was the prize of the Red Bulls’ 2010 draft, selected No. 2 overall out of Virginia. He played 27 games as a rookie, collecting one goal and three assists.

The versatile Borman was in his fourth season after being taken in the first round (No. 7 overall) in the 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft out of Rhode Island.